


Trust Fall, Soft Landing

by anzewithaz



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Babies, Anxiety, Family Fluff, First Meetings, Hoshi gets her way, M/M, NICU babies, New Parents, No argument, Oikawa is an overplanner, Sleepovers, Surprises, Surrogacy, Teething, Twin Shenanigans, babies can smell fear, baby announcement, baby whisperer, because of course she does, but how can you be mad at such a cute thing, grouchy baby, hospital aversion, meet and greet, not all in-laws suck, of course it's a meme, played by an infant, snuggles, trust fall, unintended confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:08:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28684596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anzewithaz/pseuds/anzewithaz
Summary: What do you do when you're afraid of babies, and now you're a godfather?Or alternatively, at some point I decided Makki is afraid of babies and this is where it went from there.
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	1. Meeting Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to HamanoHoney for co-creating some of the best second generation OCs and the world they live in. I 100% couldn't have gotten them right on my own.
> 
> Also to my beta reader Jackie who read this, in its entirety and edited it at least 10 times when I was too anxious to post it. You're the real MVP.

Makki had tried everything to talk his way out of being a godfather, but Tooru and Hajime weren’t taking no for an answer. Most people would have been thrilled to be this important to their best friends' child, but Makki wished that had chosen someone else, ANYONE else. Because babies are small. They are small, and terrifying, and fragile, and just thinking about being responsible for someone that vulnerable made Makki feel nauseous.

"Earth to 'Hiro, you're hyperventilating again." Issei nudged his shoulder, swaying a bit with the motion of the train.

"Yeah, well, considering what we're doing, I'd say that I'm actually doing great." he hissed, momentarily feeling a sliver of guilt at the hurt that flashed across his husband's face.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. You know Tooru and Hajime wouldn't have picked us if they didn't trust us. I understand how anxious you are about this, bu-"

"No Iss, you don't understand. You love kids. While I...I just don’t.” Makki snapped, turning to look out the window. He didn’t want to acknowledge the look he knew his husband was giving him, or the guilt he felt for how unreasonable he was being about all this. But hey, fear did strange things to people and the sooner this trip was over, the sooner he could go home and panic in his blanket cocoon back home.

Standing at his best friends' door, Makki had never wanted them to be home less than he did at that particular moment. He could feel himself shaking, torn between leaning into Issei for security, and refusing to look at him in irritation. He risked a peek out of the corner of his eye and almost crumbled at how completely subdued Issei looked now, his earlier enthusiasm carefully shuttered. He was just about to reach out when the door popped open on Tooru's bright smile and happy greeting. Makki allowed himself to be pulled inside and down the hall, dread growing with every step.

The formerly extinguished excitement in Issei's eyes flared back to life the moment Hajime handed over a small swaddle of blanket. Makki had never seen his husband so transfixed on anything before, dumbfounded as he awkwardly stood in the doorway and watched the little scene unfold. His husband sat cross-legged on the couch, chattering with their friends while gently fussing with the bundle of terror, cooing and making adorable faces at it. Soft laughter and conversation seemed to flow around Makki, a strange tunnel vision narrowed his view, focused entirely on Issei and the little squeaking thing in his arms. His vision turned shaky and grainy like an old film, moving in slow motion while Issei made loving eyes first at the baby, before looking up to grin at him. It felt like TV static filled his fingers and every sound was muffled, like the barrier he wished he could put up was actually there. It wasn’t until Tooru slapped a hand on his shoulder that Makki snapped out of it, gasping and shaking his head to clear his thoughts. 

“Makki? Earth to Makki, hello? Is anybody home?” Tooru laughed. 

Glaring, Makki smacked his hand away and stepped further into the room, folding himself into a nearby chair and staying at least 6 feet away from the child. “Oh shut it.”

Hajime rolled his eyes and passed Issei a bottle, who managed to feed and burp the infant like he’d been doing it his whole life. Before they knew it, the two had been there for almost two hours, Makki mostly watched in awe as his husband played the role of the perfect godfather while he, well...just quietly jumped and panicked at every little sound she made. When the baby made a shrieking noise, startling no one but Makki who almost fell out of his chair, Hajime had decided enough was enough.

"This is ridiculous," Hajime snapped, scooping the baby up from Issei comfortably. "How are you supposed to be her godfather if you won't even hold her?"

"I uh, well, I keep telling you that you're making a mistake," Makki stuttered, his heartbeat accelerating the closer Hajime came with the offending ball of noise.

"Trust fall." Hajime said, deadpan, before he plopped the bundle into Makki's arms. The minute the soft blue green fabric made contact, Makki forgot how to move, or speak, or breathe. All that registered was icy panic over the warm, slight weight in his arms. The static in his hands flared up his arms along with a tremor he couldn’t seem to control. It felt like forever before the soft voice of his favorite person pulled him back to where he was.

"Hey, 'Hiro, breathe, it's okay." Issei said with a soft smile, his eyes encouraging, hopeful but carefully guarded.

"Easy for you to say," Makki wheezed, his eyes wide with fear as he fought not to shove the small bundle to his husband.

"There you go, see Taka, it's okay."

"Okay; is this what you call okay? I can’t even-" Makki had barely finished getting out the words before the baby’s brow furrowed, little hiccuped whines quickly escalated to a cry. "Uhh, what is this? What did I do? Why? Please take her back," Makki’s rising panicked voice startled the baby, her cries turned to wails, little tears tracked down her cheeks.

"Awe Hoshimi, it's okay," Issei murmured, petting her hair down. "This is your Uncle 'Hiro, I promise he isn’t scary; he’s actually probably more scared than you are. He's not real sure about all this yet, that’s all. But maybe he'll talk to you for a little while, hm? It’s okay, Starlight. He loves you so much; don’t you, Makki?”

"Wha- love is a really strong word for someone you just met. What the heck am I supposed to say to her?" Makki demanded quietly as Issei’s soft murmurs and petting settled the child, for now. 

"You can say whatever you want to her," Tooru offered, "she doesn’t know what you’re saying; as long as it's in a happy tone, she usually seems to be content with it."

"Until she gets it in her mind to be cranky and fuss like you," Hajime quipped at his husband, softly laughing at Tooru's affronted expression.

"Uhh, well, I guess...hi Hoshimi. Just so you know, holding you might just be the most terrifying thing to ever happen to me. But I promise not to drop you, because I’m pretty sure that would not go over very well." Makki whispered, the soft chuckles of everyone else in the room soothing the child further. The infant let out a yawn, stretching her hands above her head before opening her eyes to look directly at Makki. A small hand wrapped around his shakily extended finger, stronger than he would have expected from something so fragile looking. His eyes widened as he looked from Hoshimi’s curious gaze to Issei’s proud one, the fear he’d felt earlier much easier to compartmentalize and ignore when replaced with something new. Makki realized the feeling that suddenly flooded through his body, punching all the air from his lungs was the feeling of fascination. He found himself able to really look at Hoshimi now. He took in the lightest dusting of freckles over the small slope of her nose, her tiny little mouth and bright green eyes under a shock of dark hair. "It's too bad really," he said absently, interrupting a conversation he hadn't even realized was happening.

"What's that?" Issei asked, brow wrinkled in worry.

"That she looks just like Hajime," he managed with a straight face before his lips twitched up into a smirk. Tooru and Issei's laughter echoed around them as Hajime managed such an eyeroll that Makki fleetingly wanted to ask if he hurt himself. And he swore, for a split second, a smile flashed across Hoshimi's face too before she closed her eyes on another yawn. Her little hand was still firmly wrapped around Makki's finger. He decided that he didn’t mind, Issei already had already had his turn anyway.


	2. Babies Can Smell Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It really isn't fair that something so small and terrifying in its own right can tell you're scared. 
> 
> But babies never play fair.

For the first time in what seemed like a long time, Hajime and Tooru were going on a date night. So naturally Issei volunteered them to be Hoshimi’s first babysitters; what else would Makki and Issei be doing on a Saturday night other than being the first people besides her parents to watch the tiny bundle and of noise and poop?

It’s not a big deal, Makki repeatedly tried to tell himself while he stood at his friends’ door, all but hidden behind his husband. With a groan, he thunked his head against Issei’s back and grumbled; it was a little less scary today than the last time they were here, but not by much. Tooru’s “just a minute” echoed from the other side of the door and Makki sighed and shook his head, Issei’s warm laugh shaking him where he stood.

“‘Hiro, she’s just a baby. What are you so worried about?”

“How long do you have?” Makki grumbled, patting his pockets, “I have a list made up somewhere.”

“Hey,” Issei turned, head tilted to catch Makki’s eye, “nothing is going to happen, everything is going to be fine.”

“Ya know, a lot of people have thought that in their lives and been very wrong.” Makki managed with a pout and a shaky breath.

“‘Hiro,” Issei demanded, reached back to take Makki’s hand in his own, wrapped Makki’s arm around to press it against his chest with an exaggerated breath. “Slow down; breathing first, fear of mini Hajime second.”

A nervous laugh that sounded suspiciously hysterical tumbled out of Makki’s throat in time for Tooru and Hajime to open the door. Both raised their eyebrows at Makki who quickly covered his mouth, and Issei who sighed dramatically with raised palms as if to say, “What can you do?”

Realizing that Hoshimi was also present at the door, Issei swiped her from Tooru and stepped into the entryway with a grin, bypassing his friends while talking to the small bundle in his arms. Makki sighed and followed Issei through the door and down the hall to the living room, Tooru and Hajime trailed behind amid snickers at Makki’s obvious misery. He couldn’t help a small smile though when Issei plopped down on the couch, already deep in a conversation with Hoshimi whose babbling was kind of cute, he supposed. He was about to sit down in his now customary 6 foot away chair when Tooru surprised him by dumping a huge binder into his arms.

“What the hell is this?” Makki exclaimed, taken aback by the weight of the mass of paperwork as he tried not to drop it and make an ass of himself.

“What do you mean?” Tooru asked, head cocked to the side as if Makki was speaking another language. Makki gestured to the binder like he could possibly be talking about anything else. “It’s everything you need to know to take care of her for a few hours of course, what else would it be?” 

“Tooru. This is an entire binder. WITH TABS AND DIVIDERS.” Makki snapped, eyes wide and mouth agape in exasperation.

“Yes?” 

“You said you’d be back tonight! What in the world even is in here?” Makki demanded, his tone bordering on hysterical. Tooru took a deep breath, looking all too ready to explain. 

“Oh no. No no no. We do NOT have time to unpack all that,” Hajime demanded, cutting him off short. “Her schedule is the first page. The rest of the vital information you can read at your leisure.” he added with an eye roll. Tooru looked ready to interrupt, to defend this mass of knowledge but Hajime held up a hand. “Read it to her, she might like it. We’re leaving, goodbye.” Tooru was still protesting as Hajime dragged him out the door, closing it firmly on Makki’s confused expression, Issei looking on in amusement.

Makki discarded the binder on the coffee table and sank into his chair, hands in his hair as he blew out a breath. He couldn’t help but be impressed at how calm Issei was, snuggling Hoshimi, tickling and making faces at her while her giggles filled the room. He was just about to concede that maybe watching a baby wouldn’t be so bad but before he could finish his thought, Hoshimi decided that she was done with whatever she had been enjoying, and started that scary hiccuping cry that steadily got louder.

“What’s wrong with her?” Makki asked as he subconsciously leaned away from the increasingly upset infant. 

“Well,” Issei said, running a finger down the baby’s cheek that she immediately turned toward, “she’s probably hungry. You’re the one with the schedule,” he reminded, gesturing to the binder on the table. 

The binder fell open in Makki’s lap with a thud as he flipped through the pages. “Holy crap, I think he’s compiled every bit of parenting advice he’s ever received.” 

“Did you honestly expect less from Tooru?” Issei asked in a cooing voice meant to placate the restless baby in his arms. 

“I guess not, but you’re right,” he said, pointing to an overly detailed schedule, “it should be time for her to be hungry, and here’s what she eats I guess.” He got up and placed the binder over on the couch cushion for Issei to read. 

“Oh, that’s easy enough,” Issei said, moving to hand Hoshimi to Makki.

Makki staggered backward, hands raised to block the incoming infant. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m handing Hoshi to you so I can make a bottle,” Issei explained, obviously trying not to laugh.

“Why can’t you just keep her?” 

“Because I’m not trying to make a mess in the kitchen. C’mon ‘Hiro, it’s just for a minute.”

“What if I make the bottle?” Makki asked quickly, eyes darting to the kitchen for an easy escape.

“Okay, do you know how?” Issei replied, not even trying to keep the smile from his face. Makki opened his mouth to say something in return before snapping it shut with a grumble. Issei winked, a smile stretched across his face, “C’mon ‘Hiro, if you drop her I won’t tell,” he promised, as he plopped the now whining infant into his husband’s arms.

“OH MY GOD,” Makki all but yelled, startling Hoshimi even further to wide-eyed awareness. “WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT?!” He hissed as Hoshimi began to wail, her chubby cheeks reddening by the second. “But, I didn’t even move, what’s wrong with her?!” Makki demanded.

“Babies can smell fear ‘Hiro; also, you probably startled her,” Mattsun laughed from the kitchen.

“This isn’t funny Iss, I’m serious,” Makki snapped, moving to sit on the couch so he would be closer to the floor.

“And so am I,” he sighed with exaggerated patience, “Just pat her back and bounce her a bit. If you talk to her and calm down, so will she.”

“What if something’s wrong with her though?”

“There is, she’s hungry. We can fix that though, so distract her until we can feed her. Stop being scared of an infant, babe.”

Makki held the squirming baby against his chest with shaking hands, rising from the couch to awkwardly pace while patting her back, humming absently. Slowly, her wails turned to cries, which then turned to upset hiccups of sound as Makki settled back into his seat, still patting her back. Mattsun’s near silent return startled him.

“See, was that so hard?”

“Yes,” Makki pouted back, sticking his tongue out.

“Well here ya go,” Mattsun handed over the bottle, to Makki’s shock.

“What do you expect me to do with that?”

“Well it’s a bottle so, feed her,” Issei rolled his eyes at the look on his husband’s face before talking him through how to hold the baby and the bottle at the same time. When he was distracted, Issei recorded a video of the fascination that washed over Makki’s face when a tiny hand wrapped around his finger. It was just too precious not to share with Hajime and Tooru later. Burping her was a little less messy than expected, and afterward, she fell asleep snuggled in Makki’s arms. Mattsun reached for her, but Makki tucked her firmly against himself before turning to settle against his husband, much to his surprise. Issei’s rumbling laughter was much more comforting than before, even with the tiny weight of the infant. Hoshimi snuggled against Makki’s chest, her little hand still wrapped around one of his fingers in her sleep. Warm and on the verge of dozing off too he decided that maybe his husband was right, maybe she wasn’t the scariest thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoshimi belongs to HamanoHoney at least 75%, we absolutely pick favorites of our creations. 
> 
> I'm planning on updating this on Sundays and Wednesdays!


	3. Drool Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why would you listen to your friends' instructions on watching their child when you could lay on the floor and talk to her? 
> 
> And if you did just that, what could make you regret not listening in the first place?

Makki couldn't, for the life of him, imagine what would have possessed Issei to volunteer them to watch Hoshimi at their house so their best friends could go on another date. She had gotten less terrifying with age but not by much, as a six-month-old is still a tiny thing. Terrifying; although, that was difficult to remember as she laid on the floor on her favorite blanket, waving her plush jellyfish at him and babbling about who knows what. He could hear his friends talking to his husband, but quite frankly, Hoshi was more interesting. She smiled up at him with her two new teeth and much more drool than normal. Maybe, he hoped, this wouldn't be so bad.

Four hours. Four hours until Makki regretted thinking that it wouldn't be so bad. The train ride to their apartment had been fun; Hoshimi had been fascinated with every bright light and loud noise. She received compliments from so many people on her cute freckles and had babbled conversations with no less than 3 elderly women. She babbled to her uncles as they walked home from the station, squealing in delight when Issei held her far over his head, giving Makki a heart attack in the process. Back at the apartment, she had been content to play on the floor with Makki until she was hungry. She ate some baby food and blew a raspberry around a mouthful of carrots when she decided she was done. If her laugh was anything to go by, she had never seen something quite as funny as her Uncle Mattsun covered in baby food and spit; and Makki had to agree. After being wiped off she napped for a time, curled around her little plush jellyfish in Makki's arms. All in all, that wouldn't have been so bad; but then she woke up.

Makki never knew much about kids, and even less about babies, but he was relatively certain that they were supposed to be less cranky after a nap. Hoshimi woke up flushed, rumpled, and fussy. She refused everything in her Uncle’s arsenal: her stuffy, blankie, a bottle, and even binky. She wanted nothing to do with being laid down, and screamed when Makki tried to do so. He was at a loss as to why she was suddenly so cranky and inconsolable. He could feel the restless anxiety building as he noticed the flush in her cheeks that he had assumed was either from her nap or the screaming fit. There was something wrong with her and she couldn't tell them. His mind was spinning, “what if there was something really wrong, like really really wrong, and something happens to her and it's all my fault?” He looked across the living room, Hoshi cradled in his arms, he noted that she was warmer than she had been earlier.

"Issei! I think something's wrong with Hoshimi." He said, loud enough to get his husband’s attention without startling the infant.

"What are you talking about 'Hiro?" He asked over the top of his book.

"She's fussy and warm and extra slobbery and I don't know, fix her because I don't know what to do," he demanded, louder with every word.

"Hey, take a deep breath and don’t yell or you're gonna scare her. Why don't you take her temperature if you're so worried?" Mattsun suggested, pointing at the medicine cabinet.

Makki rummaged until he found the thermometer and stuck it under the squirming baby's arm just like Issei told him. The high-pitched beep gave him a result and he was already reaching for his phone, hitting a speed dial number and putting it on speaker. He sat it down on the counter as he shifted Hoshimi so she could lay her head on his shoulder while he rubbed her back. Issei's confusion was written all over his face until a familiar voice filters over the speaker.

"'Hiro? What do you need? Is Hoshimi okay?" Tooru demanded impatiently.

"She has a fever and she's clingy and fussy and I don't know what's wrong," Makki blurted out, almost too fast to comprehend. While he bounced lightly back and forth to try and calm Hoshi, Makki realized that Tooru had him on speaker too.

"Okay," Hajime prodded, "what's her temperature?"

"99.3," Makki cringed. He could have sworn something akin to a laugh filtered through the line before Tooru started to fuss at Issei.

"ISSEI MATSUKAWA! You apologize to 'Hiro right now," Tooru chided. 

"You know what's wrong and how to fix it, stop letting him worry," Hajime added.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Makki asked, looking to his husband in confusion. Issei walked over to him, a dropper full of orange liquid in hand.

"The Drool Queen is teething, which you would have known had you listened to them instead of ignoring us." He replied easily as he coaxed Hoshimi to accept a mouthful of medicine. "Baby Motrin and all will be well in a little while. I'm sorry I let you worry," he added as he pressed a kiss to Makki's head. Hoshimi looked for a moment like she might recreate the lunch spitting debacle before deciding that artificial orange was a sufficient flavor to swallow.

"Can we go back to our date now?" Makki could hear the eye roll in Hajime's voice.

"Don't be mean, they can call us about Hoshimi any time." Tooru returned. At the mention of her name, Hoshimi looked around, baby brow furrowed, as she confusedly looked for her parents.

"Check your phones in a minute," Makki said, realizing Issei had been videoing her reaction to their voices.

"Sure, can we go now?"

"Yeah, yeah," Makki replied, he hung up and hit send on the most adorable video he'd ever seen. Hoshimi, apparently tired of being cranky, accepted Issei’s offer of her stuffy and blankie and snuggled back into Makki's shoulder with a yawn and the tiniest of sighs. Now maybe it wouldn’t be so bad Makki thought, with the faintest of smiles.


	4. Peek-A-Bye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, Makki doesn't think that, "I didn't lose it, it's just not where I left it," is going to be an acceptable excuse this time.

Makki knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was about to be dead. In 8 minutes, give or take, he was going to be dead on the floor of his best friends’ home. Looking back on it, he should have never even considered saying yes to them in the first place, not on a day when his husband had to work. He could watch Hoshimi for less than an hour, right? Tooru had practically begged him over the phone. They just needed to run to the store, and they’d be right back. Yeah sure, no problem, he had said. It’ll be a piece of cake! What could happen in an hour he had thought. If only he could smack himself from an hour ago. He had been so wrong. Makki absently tapped his husbands’ speed dial number while his brain spun in circles. He only had to wait for three rings before a warm voice flooded over the phone.

“Hey ‘Hiro,” Issei drawled over the din of people talking behind him.

“Uhm hey, uh so I have a problem. Like, the mother of all problems.”

“Did you set the apartment on fire again, babe?”

“Funny Issei. No. I uh, well, so”

“’Hiro, focus. What’s wrong?”

“Right. So, Tooru called and asked if I’d watch Hoshi so they could go to the store.”

“And you panicked and said no right? You actually probably yelled it. And now you think they don’t like you?”

“My own husband,” Makki gasped in feigned offense, “pinpointing my weaknesses.”

“So, am I right?”

“Well no, I actually said yes.”

“What?! Wait. You actually agreed to watch her? Alone?!”

“For fucks sake Issei, don’t have a conniption.”

“I just, I never thought you’d, nevermind. But that doesn’t sound like a problem ‘Hiro.”

“Well I guess it wouldn’t be, but uh, well...I lost her...playing peek-a-boo”

“Woah. Hang on, roll that back a second. You lost her? What do you mean?”

“WHAT DO YOU THINK I MEAN ISS?! I CAN’T FIND HER!”

“Fuck ‘Hiro, calm down. She’s 7 months old, it’s not like she can leave.”

“Thanks for that, not super calming when I have to face them in like 3 MINUTES.”

“I’m sure she’s just somewhere you didn’t look.”

“They’re going to kill me. Tooru is going to kill me. When he finds out I lost Hoshi he’ll kill me before Hajime even gets a chance to. He’ll go nuclear, she’s his whole world.”

“Earth to ‘Hiro, she isn’t lost. I’ve gotta go. Take a breath, everything will be fine, I’ll see you tonight. I love you.”

“No, you won’t see me because I’ll be dead. If you loved me, you’d save me from Tooru’s wrath,” Makki grumbled. “I love you too.” 

The line went dead and the icy panic flooded back in. “There’s no way I’m surviving this,” he announced to the too quiet air around him. He could barely hear the sound of keys in the door over the static that whirred through his brain. “What the hell do you say to someone after you misplace their child?” He muttered, “the good news is, you’ll save on diapers? You’ll definitely sleep better from now on? You don’t need to worry about paying for college? No, no, definitely none of that.” His internal monologue was cut short by his friend’s bright smile.

“Thanks so much Makki! It was so much quicker with just the two of us!” Tooru beamed.

“Uh, yeah, no problem at all,” Makki could feel the blood draining from his face.

“You look like you need to sit down, are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, I’m, uh, I’m fine. We had, uh, we had a great time.”

Tooru’s brow quirked up, “Ooookay, well, where is she?”

“About that,” Makki managed before he doubled over in hysterical laughter, “no clue.”

“What?! Makki we were gone for half an hour AND YOU LOST MY DAUGHTER.”

“Tooru, she was here when I covered my eyes and then she wasn’t I, I,” Makki floundered. The look in Tooru’s eyes was positively venomous. 

“Tooru, don’t mess with him” Hajime snapped with a roll of his eyes, “you know where she is.”

“Wait what?” Makki hiccuped as he gripped the stitch in his side from the helpless laughter.

“Awe, but the look on his face,” Tooru pouted with a sigh as he crossed the living room to the kitchen and opened the pantry door.

Makki followed his friends to the pantry where, just as predicted, Hoshimi sat surrounded by packages of milk bread. The plastic of the wrapper crinkled under her little fingers as she babbled in frustration, shaking her prize as she tried to get to the treat inside. She shot a crinkle-nosed smile toward the group before she reached up toward Tooru, not letting go of the package. He scooped her up in his arms, not interrupting her long-winded rant.

“Oh, did Uncle Makki tell you no milk bread?” Tooru asked with feigned shock.

“Ma-ma dabama,” she replied seriously.

“You seriously have to teach her to call me something else,” Makki cringed.

“In her defense, she calls Mattsun the same thing,” Hajime reasoned with a laugh, “and in your defense, she’s probably a little young for milk bread.”

“Lies,” Tooru immediately countered as he deftly opened the package and pinched off a small piece, feeding it to Hoshimi and sticking his tongue out at his husband.

“Alright, well I’m gonna go home now and try to forget I was outsmarted by a seven-month-old.” Makki cringed, face red.

“Say bye bye to Uncle Makki baby girl,” Hajime managed through laughter.

“Baba Ma-Ma,” Hoshimi said with her nearly toothless grin and a mouthful of milk bread.

Makki waved bye to the trio and showed himself out the door before a grin flooded his face. She took up a bigger piece of his heart than he was willing to admit yet.


	5. Maybe, Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's important to make sure that the conversation you're having in your head stays there, isn't it?

The shrill ring of Issei’s phone startled Hiro out of his mostly one sided conversation with the baby in his lap. He handed the phone to Hoshimi, turned her around and extended both the infant and the phone toward his husband on the other end of the couch. Issei stuck his tongue out at Hoshi and laughed when she returned the gesture. She shrieked and giggled when Makki pulled her back before his husband could even think to try to steal her. He’s met with an eye roll and a smirk as Issei answers the call. A panicked voice, much too loud for the fact that the phone wasn’t on speaker filtered through. 

“Hey. Woah, woah, woah, calm down. You know I can’t understand anything you say when you’re hysterical, ” his husband sighed as he attempted to placate whoever it was. A calmer voice replaced the panicked, too soft for him to make out what’s being said.

“It’s fine, it’s really not a big deal,” Issei assured. “Yes I’m serious. See you tomorrow.”

“Who was that?” Makki asked, as he fished Hoshimi’s plushie from the floor where she had dropped it. 

“Apparently Tooru and Hajime are stuck wherever they went, they were worried we wouldn’t be able to handle keeping Hoshi overnight.” 

“Oooh, do you know what that means?” Makki asked Hoshimi. The baby responded with a babble and shake of her plushie followed by a tilted head and a huge yawn.

“You’re so right Starlight, that means we get to finish this documentary in bed,” he said as he scooped her up and rummaged through her bag for pajamas. The declaration is met with a laugh from the other end of the couch as he carried the already half-asleep child to their room. 

It took less than 10 minutes of the soft murmur of the TV before Hoshimi was asleep. Makki had no idea what was happening on the screen as he stared at the little person curled up in the middle of their bed in her footie pajamas, arms tight around her jellyfish and blankie. Makki blinked and realized that he’d been staring at and tracing her freckles since she fell asleep, tiny baby snores escaping through a half turned up smile.

“I want a baby,” he mused, as he brushed his hand through her soft dark hair.

A clattering followed by a choking sound reverberated from their en-suite before Issei almost fell around the corner, incredulity painted on his face, “EXCUSE ME WHAT!?” He hissed in an attempt to keep from yelling and waking Hoshimi. 

All the blood drained from Makki’s face as he realized that he had in fact said that out loud. He looked up at his husband, heart dropping and dizziness washing over him at the expression that he’s met with. Equal parts shock and conflict struggled in the expression; arms crossed, lips pressed into a tight line, and eyes shuttered, wary, and full of tears. He watched in what felt like slow motion as Issei crossed the room to sit on the edge of the bed by him. The bed dipped and his husband gently pulled their foreheads together. 

“Hiro, don’t bullshit me. But please tell me I’m not dreaming,” Issei’s whisper was rougher than normal, eyes squeezed shut and brow furrowed like he was in more pain than he knew what to do with. 

“Wha-, what do you mean?” Makki pulled back, confused. “You’ve never said anything about wanting a kid.”

“Well, you seemed pretty against it,” a blush flared across Issei’s cheekbones, “I didn’t want to overwhelm you and I didn’t want to argue about something that would make you uncomfortable. Especially when I knew the answer anyway so…”

Makki could feel how comically wide his eyes were as his husband trailed off, eyes full of something that looked an awful lot like heavily guarded hope. His heart felt like it was in free fall as he looked at Hoshimi before he turned back to his husband with a smile.

“You’re wide awake babe,” he assured. It punched all of the breath out of his lungs when he watched whatever had been guarding the hope in Issei’s eyes filter out to pure happiness. Oxygen rushed back in on a dizzying inhale when he was gathered into strong arms while small laughs and hiccupped tears escaped both of them. 

And when they finally laid down for the night, each with a finger grasped in one of Hoshimi’s little hands, Makki heard his husband press a kiss to the baby’s soft hair before he whispered, “it looks like you were the right star to wish on, baby girl.”

Makki waited until his husband’s breathing evened out and Hoshi snuggled closer to him. The moonlight washed across their faces and he couldn’t help but to snap a picture before he slowly padded back out to the couch and curled into the corner. He dragged a blanket into his lap, a barrier between himself and the conversation he was about to have. He quickly tapped a contact picture and tried to swallow down the panic that rose with each blaring ring of the phone before his sister in law picked up. 

“Wait, ‘Hiro?” She questioned, “what’s wrong?“ The normal nonchalance replaced with a tone of worry. 

“Why would you assume something’s wrong, Akiko?” He barely managed not to snap at her.

“Well for one, you sound like that,” she reasoned, “for another you’re calling me. In something like 15 years I can count the number of times you’ve done that and it’s always to tell me that either you or Iss have done something stupid.” He couldn’t do anything but wrap the blanket more tightly around him and grumble at her assertion because she was right. She sounded infinitely more patient when she asked again, “hey favorite brother, you’re okay right?” 

“How long?” he stuttered past numb lips when all the air felt like it was sucked out of the room. 

“How long what, ‘Hiro?” 

“How long has everyone been avoiding telling me that my husband wants kids?”

The silence from her end of the phone was almost answer enough. “‘Hiro, I’m not sure that’s a conversation that you should be having with anyone but Iss-”

“Akiko,” he interrupted, “I was sitting on the bed watching Hoshi sleep and I said I wanted a baby. Those words actually left my mouth. And, and,” he trailed off, tears filling his eyes. 

“And?”

“And the way he looked at me was like a gut punch. Not in a bad way but he looked at me the same way he did when he asked me out for the first time, the same way he looked at me when I said yes when he proposed. He looked at me like he fell in love with me all over again.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No, no of course not. It’s just, how did I not know?”

She sighed, “‘Hiro, my brother has always thought that you would be an amazing dad. From the beginning. But it’s not something he ever talked about with anyone but me because he also saw that it wasn’t something you wanted, and he never wanted anyone in our family to pressure you. He loves you more than he wants that. But I still think this is a conversation you should be having with him, not me.”

“Aki, what if I wasn’t wrong? What if I do want a baby?”

“If that’s really something that you want and you ask anyone else to be your surrogate you won’t be my favorite brother anymore.” 

“Wait, what do you mean? Are you serious?”

“Yes ‘Hiro, I’m serious,” she laughed softly, “now go snuggle with your husband and Hoshi. You don’t have to decide right now and you can talk to him about it tomorrow.” 

“Yes mom,” he chuckled with an affectionate eye roll.

“Don’t you start with me, I’m teaching your child to give you so much sass, Takahiro. Goodnight favorite brother.” 

“Goodnight sis,” he hung up, feeling lighter than he had in quite a while when he returned to the warmth of the covers and the small hand that wrapped around his fingers. He could get used to this.


	6. Head Over Heels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People say that the way to react to being afraid is fight or flight. Makki learns the hard way that there's more options than that.

Hospitals are sterile. Touchless doors, touchless sanitizer, cold, clinical, and too superficially clean to be full of sick people. Makki wished he could be anywhere else as he threaded his already cold hand into his husband’s much warmer one with a squeeze.

“You’re already shaking, you sure you’re alright?” Concern flashed over Issei’s face.

“Well I mean, alright is a strong word,” he managed through subconsciously clenched teeth. Hospitals weren’t exactly Makki’s idea of an okay time, too many things went wrong in hospitals. 

“I know you don’t like hospitals,” his husband murmured against his temple, “but at least we’re here for something happy. That counts for something, right?”

Makki shook himself on a deep breath and smiled as warmly as he could to try and erase the concern from his husband’s face. 

“There’s my favorite brother!” echoed through the high ceilings of the bustling atrium. Makki jumped as he was gathered into his sister in law’s warm hug that seemed to melt a lot of his anxiety away.

“Excuse me Akiko, I’m right here,” Issei protested, rolling his eyes when his sister turned to him. 

“Psh, I got to skip all the annoying times in ‘Hiro’s life and meet him when he was already cool,” she replied with a shrug. She entwined her arm with Makki’s to pull him through the crowd toward the obstetrics department and, presumably, the ultrasound suite. “Ready to go see our baby?” She asked him with a wide grin and an infectious laugh. He found that he couldn’t help but join in.

“Still right here,” Issei mentioned from a step behind them. He tried to muffle his own laugh as they walked through the door of the office. The nurse took their name and showed them to a room. Akiko hopped onto the table beside a sweet looking ultrasound tech who introduced herself before she settled by a large screen and asked if they were ready. It turns out they weren’t.

Makki had never really considered what the ceilings of hospitals looked like. He had also never imagined looking at one while laying on the hospital floor either; but then again, a lot had happened in the last few months that he never would have thought. As much as Issei’s family had never asked about them having a baby, he had never expected his sister in law to be so adamant that she be their surrogate. He absolutely hadn’t expected it to take so fast either, a phone call that had rekindled a bit of the anxiety that lingered over his declaration that he wanted a baby. A baby. Which is, he remembered, how he ended up laying on the hospital floor. Because passing out is really the only course of action when the ultrasound tech says what you never expected to hear. 

“There you are,” his husband said, amusement evident in his tone as he squeezed Makki’s hand, “you feelin okay?”

“Uh, I’d be better if I didn’t just hear what I’m pretty sure I just heard.”

“Oh, that you’re having twins?” Akiko offered over barely muffled laughter.

“Technically you’re having twins,” Issei easily replied as he rubbed his thumb over Makki’s palm.

“Yeah right, you guys have to take them home,” Akiko waved her hand.

“God, that’s a whole other thing,” Makki groaned,” have you even considered the logistics of twins?”

“Can’t say I have since we were just told we were having them,” Issei offered easily.

“This is going to be so much more complicated,” Makki all but whined.

“I mean don’t you just need to double everything?” Akiko mused and Issei nodded.

“Honestly, fuck both of you,” Makki groaned as he sat up and attempted a scowl.

“Definitely not here,” Issei laughed but he wrapped Makki in a hug, “I love you dork.”

“I didn’t even and I still ended up here,” Akiko alternated between laughs and fake gags. 

The tech looked completely confused but continued to manipulate the probe until the two blobs were centered on the screen. She looked between the three before she tapped a button that silenced all of the bickering and banter. Two distinct whooshing noises filled the room to match the tiny flutters on the screen. 

“Congratulations,” the tech said with a smile. “Happy, healthy, fraternal twins. A baby girl and a baby boy.”

All three were stunned silent, fixated on the image of tiny fluttering heartbeats. The tech let them watch for a moment and pretended not to notice that they recorded the noise filling the room before she printed off pictures for them. They were ushered out with the ultrasound snapshots firmly in hand. The nurse that checked them in made their next appointment with a knowing smile before she waved them off, “hopefully you don’t end up on the floor next time, yeah?”

Makki couldn’t agree more.

The motion of the train lulled Makki’s anxious thoughts on the way away from the hospital, his husband’s voice pulled him from the swirling number logistics of raising twins. 

“We’re telling them,” he calmly demands.

“Wha-,” he demanded, panic immediately swirling in his mind with an immediate gut punch of nausea. There had to be a way to argue that. 

“No. Don’t look at me like that ‘Hiro. We’re not avoiding telling our best friends anymore. I was okay keeping trying from people, when you didn’t want the pity if it never worked out,” Makki’s hands were enveloped in warmth, thumbs tracing across his palms again. “I could understand keeping it from people when we weren’t sure if it was going to stick, that we might lose the baby. Because it would be so hard to have to go back and tell them that,” a firm kiss is pressed to his temple, “but babe. Sure, there’s more than we ever expected but they’re okay. They’re safe and growing and just, please. I’m not saying we should tell everyone but I think their godfathers deserve to know they exist.” 

Makki opened his mouth to try to mention that they weren’t technically in the safe space yet, they could still lose them. 

“No. I’ll let you decide how you want us to tell them but we’re telling them. I mean we have family dinner tonight anyway.” Put that way, there really wasn’t a way to refuse.


	7. Uno Reverse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Would they even be Meme Team babies if they weren't introduced with one?

The clattering of the whirlwind that was Hoshi flew through the door downstairs followed by shrieking laughter. 

“Attsu, is KiKi?” Hoshi demanded between giggles. 

“He’s upstairs getting something for you guys, he’ll be down in a minute.”

He can hear their murmurs move down the hall and settle over the table. There really wasn’t any way around this he accepted as he walked down the stairs and through the house following the happy sounds of Hoshi telling a story. He hugged the box to his chest but tried to smile at them when he crossed the dining room threshold to everyone sitting at the table.

“Is?” Hoshi asked, pointing to the box cradled in his arms.

“How about you help Papá and Daddy open it and find out?” The words were no sooner out of his mouth than she was reaching for Tooru with an excited babble. He sighed and slid the box across the table top, reasonably certain that his heartbeat wasn't supposed to feel quite like that. 

Little toddler hands made short work of the wrapping, a small playing card fluttering to the table with her over-excited movements. Hajime picked it up, confusion pulled his brows together at the Uno reverse card in his hand. Issei snickered but refused to say anything about it. With a shrug and a suspicious glance at both of them, Tooru helped her flip open the lid and promptly squeaked, his hand flew to cover his mouth and he hugged Hoshi closer. The inside of the top of the box reading ‘Hi Godparents!’ 

“You should finish opening it,” Makki mentioned, gesturing to the tissue paper laid over the contents of the box. Suspicion returned to Tooru’s face but he gestured to Hoshi to pull off the paper. A second later three voices were yelling at them over the pair of onesies that read “PLOT” and “TWIST” with an ultrasound picture of the two infant-shaped blobs.

Tooru’s repetitive laughter between squeals of, “OH MY GOD,” and, “HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US!”

Hajime’s choked wheeze of, “Oh my god there’s gonna be FOUR of you?!”

And finally Hoshi’s pouted demand of, “no me, no baby.” 

“This totally wasn’t the plan,” Makki returned with a laugh that’s only slightly hysterical.

Issei spoke over the excited babble to ask, “Hoshi, who would wear something that little?”

“No me. No wittle, pay bolley,” Hoshi pouted. 

“Apparently playing volleyball is the basis for being a big girl now,” Hajime rolled his eyes.  
“We know that you’re not a baby Starlight,” Issei smiled at her, “what do you think of us having a baby, or two?”

Hoshi’s over-wide eyes blinked between her parents who both gave her encouraging smiles. She turned back to them with a gummy smile, “baby?”

“Two babies actually,” Makki offered. 

“Pay bolley? Wif Papá an me?” She questioned, completely serious, standing on her dad’s lap with her hands perched on the table.

“I’m sure they’ll play volleyball with you baby girl,” Issei hid a laugh behind his hand.

Hajime sighed, “besides volleyball what do you think?” 

“Is?” Hoshi asked on a breathless giggle as she held up the ultrasound photo, “bere is?” 

“Right now they’re in Uncle Mattsun’s sister’s tummy. That’s where they’re growing. They’ll be on the outside around when the sakura trees bloom.” Makki explained before brightening instantly, “but if you wanna talk to them, we can do that.” 

“Can?!” 

“Absolutely baby girl,” Makki scooped her out of her seat, grabbed Mattsun’s hand, and threw a, “you two coming?” back at his friends as he mapped the few blocks between their houses in his head. 

Akiko’s door swung open to their group, her confusion giving way to a laugh. 

“Didn’t see enough of me today Iss? And you,” she said pointing to Makki, “you here to keep my niece and nephew up past their bedtime again?” 

“Never,” Makki confirmed for them both, “Hoshi, do you know where the babies are?” He asked as they followed Akiko down the hall for her to curl back onto the couch like she had been. In answer to his question, Hoshi squirms out of Makki’s arms to press her hands against Akiko’s stomach. 

“Hoshimi, feather touches,” Hajime directed, “you have to be gentle, you don’t want to hurt Aki or the babies.” She immediately jumped back, pulling her hands with an apology and a little bow. 

Tooru was immediately behind her, “it’s okay Starlight, you just have to be gentle,” he took her small hand and settled it against Akiko’s stomach. “Who do you wanna talk to first?”

“She,” Hoshi replies quietly. 

“Baby girl it is, can I borrow your hands?” Akiko returned with a smile. She slid Hoshi’s hand to the right side of her stomach and took Tooru’s hand in her own to place it on the left. “Alright, get real close and tell them something, and then you have to listen with your hands. Tooru you wanna show her how?” He murmured something to him before Aki pressed in on his hand and everyone watched a smile bloom on Tooru’s face when baby boy kicked back in response to being bothered. Hoshi took in Tooru’s reaction, watching him until he looked up and winked at her before going back to talking to the baby. “What do you wanna tell baby girl sweetheart?”

“Hi baby, is me. You my best twin, loves you and bolley,” before the conversation devolved into babbles. A kick into her hand had her shrieking with an open mouthed grin, giggling uncontrollably.

“Hoshi, do you wanna talk to Isa-, I mean baby boy too?” Makki asked, eyes a little wide realizing what he almost let slip. 

“Oh my god. You’ve already named them?! Why don’t I get to know what you named the kids I’m literally growing for you?!” Akiko demanded while she helped Hoshi climb to her other side to talk to baby boy. As Hoshi moved, Akiko rolled her eyes and grabbed Hajime by the hand, pulling him to space that Hoshi left. “She hates being ignored and she makes that abundantly clear,” she gestured to where baby girl was throwing a fit. At the added pressure, she calmed, presumably sated with the attention. “Huh,” Aki mused, “I’ll have to keep you around, she’s a menace when she’s worked up. I think you’ve made a friend. She doesn’t calm down for anyone else but ‘Hiro.” 

They all sat around taking turns talking to the future members of their family until Hoshi fell asleep leaning on baby girl. The look of shock on her face when a kick woke her was worth every bit of anxiety Makki had felt in getting this far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Facts: Hamano decided on Hoshimi's inflection on "Papá" for Tooru; it's something she's picked up through starting to learn Spanish. 
> 
> Her names for Hanamaki and Mattsukawa are, of course, baby-talk inflections on their nicknames.


	8. Dad Status

Makki woke in a cocoon of blankets with a start to his husband shaking him adamantly. He groaned at the time on the clock on the bedside table, “this had better be really important, it’s literally 2 am.” he grumbled, trying to rub the bleariness from his eyes.

“First of all, get up,” Issei prompted while pulling him out of the warm bed, “second of all, don’t panic.”

Makki suddenly forgot any notion of being tired, “you can’t just say that, why would I panic? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“Technically yes, everything is fine,” Issei insisted while his hands absently ran up and down Makki’s arms, a soothing gesture. 

“Then why are you trying to soothe me before you tell me what I shouldn’t panic about?” he asked, pointing to his husband’s action with an eyebrow raised in question.

“Well uh, Akiko called,” he started, he fidgeted but smiled before he fixed Makki with an excited expression, “we’re gonna be dads today, in a couple hours actually.”

Makki had to sit down, he’d had enough of passing out recently. “But wait wasn’t last weekend like 34 weeks or something?” he asked over the rapidfire pounding of his heart in his ears, “isn’t there supposed to be like 6 more weeks? That’s more than a month, how is that okay?!”

“Hey now, I told you not to panic, no hyperventilating,” Issei sighed at him, crouching down to meet his eyes. “‘Hiro, the doctor said the odds were best if they made it to at least 32 weeks, remember?”

Makki nodded numbly and tried to plaster a smile across his face as he changed out of his pajamas, took an offered bag and followed his husband out of the house. Everything around him sounded muffled, like he had never actually left his blanket cocoon. He sat subdued on the train and watched Issei beside him, practically vibrating with energy. He sighed and tried his best to distance himself from reality, distracting himself with the lights flying by the train windows.

“Earth to ‘Hiro,” he blinked and startled, they were standing in front of the hospital and he didn’t remember how they got there, “oh good, people were starting to look at me like I kidnapped you,” Issei chuckled.

“In their defense, I don’t know how I got here,” he replied with a shrug. He followed his husband through the front doors, accepting directions from the front desk and stepping into an elevator.

“Are you ready for this?”

“Pretty sure no one is ever ready for this.” he responded, sounding far more confident than he felt, even to himself. They checked in with the nurses at a desk labeled “Labor Hall” and were pointed to a room. They stepped inside to find Akiko, sitting alone and fiddling with a TV remote, hooked up to more monitoring than he had ever seen.

“Uh favorite brother, you look like you need to sit down,” she said, gesturing to a chair beside her bed.

Makki managed a smile and sank into the chair, while he tried to will the dizziness away. “Did you really have to wake us up in the middle of the night?” he grumbled with a smirk.

“I mean I guess I didn’t have to, but you two insisted on knowing when they were gonna to be born for some reason or another, it’s like you’re invested or something,” she snarked with a shrug and the same lazy smile her brother often wore. 

A knock sounded at the door and a woman in a set of pale green scrubs entered with a smile, “you ready to have a couple babies?”

“You have no idea how ready I am,” Akiko laughed out.

“Well then we’ve already talked about what to expect, so pick your support person and I’ll see you in just a little bit,” she said, leaving with a wave.

Akiko seemed unsure for the first time since offering to be their surrogate, looking back and forth between the men on either side of her.

“Go with her Iss, she needs her brother more than her baby daddy,” Makki said with his first real smile of the night and stuck his tongue out for good measure. 

“Don’t remind me,” Akiko complained at the same time as Issei groaned.

“Why do I love you?” Issei asked, rolling his eyes with a grin and a hug tight enough that it revealed how anxious he really was. Both men stepped out of the way of the nurses who came in to bundle Akiko up and get her on her way.

“Love you too,” Makki says with a wink and a peck on the cheek before shooing his husband in the direction of his sister. He stood unsure in the hall until a nurse came and ushered him to a waiting room. Waiting. He could do that, right? 

An hour later he was thoroughly convinced that whoever had built this room had designed it specifically to have an uneven amount of ceiling tiles, evident no matter which chair one sat in. He folded his knees up, rested his feet on the chair and his chin on his knees with a sigh. His mind was spinning with scenarios he didn’t want to think about. What if there was something wrong? No. The doctor knows what she’s doing. Right? But they couldn’t have accounted for every possible thing that could go wrong. But could anyone ever account for everything? Of course they could account for things going wrong. But people died in hospitals every day, it’s one of the things he hated about hospitals. He didn’t trust them. But no, they would have told him if something was wrong right? What if they just didn’t know how to tell him? What if something had gone wrong? What if there was something wrong with Aki or the babies? No. None of that, he shook himself. He rubbed harshly down his arms, tried to pull himself out of the icy spiral of panic. He tapped his feet restlessly, pulled out his phone to distract his restless hands. 4:30 in the morning wasn’t the most absurd time he’d ever called his best friends, he reasoned as he tapped a speed dial key.

“What the hell Makki,” Tooru’s sleepy voice filtered over the line, “it’s 4:30 in the morning. Are you okay?”

“Sorta, I guess,” he sighed.

“Hanamaki. Takahiro. If you woke me up for shits and giggles, I swear to god,” Tooru snapped. “I mean really, Hoshimi still wakes up some nights an-”

“Akiko is in the OR,” he blurted, cut off whatever his friend had been saying, “and Issei is with her and well, I’m waiting. Alone.”

“How long?” Tooru demanded, all sleepiness gone from his voice.

“An hour and six minutes,” fell out of his mouth. He hadn’t realized he’d been paying that much attention.

“Then I’m confident in being the first to congratulate you on being a dad,” he could tell even through the phone that his friend was smiling, “so I better get the first picture.”

“Are you sure I shouldn’t be worried? It feels like it’s been forever,” he whined.

“The most important things have a tendency of feeling like that. But I’m sure everything is fine. Take a breath and calm down,” Tooru calmly responded.

A nurse popped through the door with a grin and a wave. “Fine, fine,” he laughed, finger hovered over the end button, “and Tooru, thank you.” 

“Ready to meet your son and daughter?” She asked, her smile never wavered.

“Actually, yeah,” he replied and returned her smile.

The doors that looked him in the face sent him dizzy again and made it a little hard to breathe. Neonatal intensive care sounded like something he absolutely wanted no part of. He leaned against the wall as the nurse told him she was going to make sure they were all settled in. At least that looked like what she said, he couldn’t hear her over his own heartbeat. 

“Hey,” his favorite voice sifted through the suffocating feeling as he was hauled into a tight hug, “I told you earlier not to panic.”

“Yeah well, intensive care sounds exactly like a reason to panic.”

“It’s precautionary ‘Hiro. They’re going to be okay.” Hands rubbed over his arms again to ground him.

“Is Akiko okay?” A new wave of panic tightened in his chest.

“She’s perfectly fine and completely amused that she can’t feel her legs.”

“Excuse me,” the nurse said from the door, “you can come see them if you want.” 

Makki made it one step into the room that the nurse guided them to before he was frozen on the spot, completely unable to breathe. The strangled noise from Issei behind him confirmed that a single warmer wasn’t what he was supposed to be expecting. He reached back subconsciously for support, trying not to let the panic tunnel his vision. The nurse by the warmer turned toward them with a soft look on her face before it flooded with confusion at their reaction. She looked between the couple at the door to the warmer a few times before understanding dawned on her face.

“Oh no, no, no. It’s okay,” she assured as she dragged the two of them across the room to the warmer. “Baby girl here started struggling a bit but she seems to do better when her brother is close,” she explained with a smile. 

Makki couldn’t tear his eyes away from the impossibly small humans in front of him. 

“Baby boy is four pounds, two ounces and baby girl is an ounce short of four pounds.” 

A gloved hand reached out to steady Makki when he wavered where he stood, realizing how absolutely small they were. The nurse mistook his awe for confusion so she pointed out all of the machines monitoring their vitals, the tiny IVs ‘just in case’ she mentioned, and the small tube each baby had in their nose ‘to feed them since their sucking may not work perfectly at first.’ Makki just nodded to her, half hearing what she had to say, half enamored with the babies, his babies. He remembered his promise, pulled his phone out and snapped a picture of them snuggled together. 

“You want to hold them?” The nurse asked as she pointed to a pair of chairs against the wall.

“Is that okay?” Both men asked in unison. 

“I don’t see why not, they’re all settled in and stable,” she replied. She took care as she wrapped each baby to carefully control the wires attached to the monitors. She gently handed over each baby, laying them against their dads’ chests. Makki had never been as sure about anything as he was sure his pounding heart would wake up the tiny baby he held. “So what are their names?” The nurse mused, accepting the phone Issei extended to her to capture their first few minutes as a family.

“Teruko,” Makki said, rubbing his daughter’s back softly.

“And Isamu,” Mattsun finished, shifted to run his finger down the infant’s tiny nose. “And you thought Hoshimi was a tiny thing ‘Hiro. She was twice their size when you were terrified to hold her,” Issei chuckled to his husband.

“See if they’ll grab your finger,” the nurse mentioned with a knowing smile. She snapped a picture of the mirror images of awe and adoration that settled on their faces, they didn't even notice. They also didn’t notice when she quietly backed out of the room, completely wrapped around the tiny fingers holding theirs. 

True to his word, Tooru was the first one he sent the picture of the snuggling twins to. This was of course right after he showed it to Akiko and wrapped her in the tightest hug he could with a whispered, “thank you.” And if a few tears ended up on her shoulder she didn’t say anything about it, just hugged him tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So while Hoshimi is 75% Hamano's, the twins are 75% mine.


	9. No, My Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, bold of any of the adults to assume these babies belong to them.

After having had to leave the twins in the hospital for 5 days, Makki was so happy to be curled up on the couch with Isamu and Teruko, one tucked into each arm as the TV murmured in the background. The doorbell startled Isamu, the baby’s tiny arms splaying and face screwing up in a startled whine. Issei popped around the corner with a pacifier and held it in place for a second for the baby to figure it out before he moved to open the door. Hoshimi bounded through the door, only to be scooped up in her uncle’s arms and dangled upside down. Tooru and Hajime laughed at their daughter’s predicament as she squirmed.

“You tell Uncle Mattsun that we’re not here to see him,” Tooru reminded her.

“No no Attsu,” Hoshimi managed between breathless laughs. When he didn’t immediately comply she managed a pout that proved how much she watched her dad, “put down Attsu,” she huffed as she crossed her little arms across her chest.

He righted her with a sigh, “who is more important than your favorite uncle?” He asked in faux seriousness.

She seemed deep in thought for a moment, brows pulled together before she caught him with a giggle and a huge smile, “KiKi and best twins.”

“My own niece,” he gasped, one hand over his face. 

“Don’t guilt her for good taste,” Makki snickered from his seat on the couch.

“KiKi!” She squirmed from Issei’s grip to follow her parents into the living room where she stopped short with huge eyes and ducked behind Hajime. 

“What’s wrong baby girl?” He crouched down to be on her level.

“So,” her face scrunched up in thought, “wittle.” She said, pointing at the babies in her uncle’s arms.

“Yeah they are, aren't they?” He said while he scooped her up into his arms, “but it’s okay. What if we hold one?” He asked as he watched apprehension and curiosity flit across her face. Curiosity won and she slowly nodded. He sat on the opposite side of the couch and tucked Hoshimi into his side. Makki gestured for Tooru to take one of the infants, allowing him to scoop Isamu up and perch in an armchair, watching him softly talk to the bundle. Makki settled the other small bundle in Hajime’s free arm with a smile. 

“Hoshi,” Makki said softly, “this is Teruko and that,” he gestured to the baby in Tooru’s arms, “is Isamu. They’re gonna be your best friends.” 

Hoshimi nodded her head, “Daddy say they be my best twins too.” She reached out, tentatively tracing over Teruko’s face with the lightest of touches, softly patting her tiny hands.

“Baby girl, that was a very good feather touch,” Hajime broke through her fascination with the baby in his arms, “ but didn’t you bring them something?” He prompted, gesturing at two forgotten gift bags. 

Her eyes went wide again before she scrambled off the couch, but when she reached the gifts confusion covered her face again. “Attsu, hewp pwease.”

“What do you need, princess?” Issei wondered, leaving the kitchen.

“Hewp,” she repeated, pointing to each gift and each baby in turn.

“You want me to take them in there?” He asked, confused.

“No no Attsu,” she stomped her little foot, hands balled at her sides. The quickly formed pout on her face proving once again that example could override genetics.

She picked up one of the bags and held it up to him, tapping where the name was written before pointing back at the twins.

“Oh you need to know who it’s for,” he realized, interrupted by the cutest toddler eye roll he’s ever seen, ‘ah, there’s Hajime,’ he thinks. “This one is for Teruko,” he told her.

“Ssokay,” she smiled back, taking the bag to the couch before carrying the other to the armchair.

“Ya know Hoshimi,” Makki mentioned when he pulled her in for a hug, “they’re so little they need help opening their presents. Do you think you can help them?” 

An emphatic nod later Hoshimi dug through Teruko’s bag and pulled out a pink plush jellyfish, she ran to Isamu’s bag and retrieved an identical blue jellyfish with a giggle. 

“And why did you pick these for the babies, Starlight?” Tooru prompted.

“Wike mine,” she smiled, retrieving a slightly threadbare mint green jellyfish from her diaper bag, “from KiKi and Attsu.”

Makki and Mattsun would have been lying if they didn’t watch the twins wrap their tiny hands around plush tentacles with a squeeze in their chests. 

Makki handed bottles to his best friends and picked Hoshi up to squeeze her tight before he set her back beside Hajime and Teruko and went to help his husband in the kitchen. 

Hoshimi, a usually slow and picky eater, was the first one done with her food; she begged to be let down from the table so she could go watch the twins in their swings. The doorbell rang again as they were cleaning up and Akiko came through with hugs for everyone before she left the men in the kitchen in search of the babies. All of a sudden Hoshimi’s loud voice pulled them all to the doorway in a rush. It was evident that Akiko had been about to pick up Teruko but Hoshimi was standing her ground, hands balled into fists.

“No.” She demanded, “my baby.” 

Akiko barely suppressed a laugh as she reached for Isamu instead. 

Hoshimi beat her to it, spun on her heel, stomped her foot, and repeated, “no. My baby.”

Akiko turned to the group who stood at the doorway who all looked on, trying not to laugh as well. 

“You heard her sis.” Issei chuckled. 

Akiko sighed in defeat and returned to the group, laughing when she turned to Hoshimi sitting in front of the two swings just staring at the babies. 

The night was over too soon but it wasn’t until Hoshimi was having her jacket zipped that she realized her babies weren't coming with them. A whine pulled from her lips before she choked on a sob. 

“Bu..but m...m..my babies,” she sobbed to Tooru who was tying her shoes. 

“Starlight, they have to stay here with their daddies. Wouldn’t you be sad if someone took you away?”

“But my babies!” She stomped her foot in frustration, tears rolling down her face. 

Tooru looked up, mischief glinting in his eyes, “I mean, we couuuuuld give her what she wants,” he mentioned to his husband. 

Hajime groaned, “dear god, no. Two of you is enough.”

“She’s not even technically mine,” Tooru pointed out.

Hajime looked between his husband’s pout and his daughter’s, “yeah okay, good luck convincing anyone of that.”

Tooru grumbled as Hajime scooped Hoshimi up and rested his forehead against hers. “Baby girl, look at me.”

Hoshimi’s crying slowly devolved to hiccups and whimpers as she wound her fingers into her dad’s shirt front. 

“We can come see your babies whenever you want. And they’re still your babies when you aren’t here. But you love me and Papá don’t you?”

Hoshimi’s eyes blew wide as she nodded emphatically.

“Well Teruko and Isamu love their daddies too. Just like you love Papá and me. So we have to let them stay with their daddies, okay?”

She begrudgingly nodded her head again.

“Okay then, how about we come back and see them again in a couple days? But we can only do that if you tell them bye.”

He walked over to Makki and Issei for Hoshimi to whisper goodbye to each twin in turn and blow kisses to her uncles. 

Makki couldn’t help but grin at the small smile that flitted across Teruko’s face when Hoshimi yelled back, “bye bye my best twins!”


	10. Baby Whisperer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's the most comforting of the Seijoh 4? I guess we'll find out.

Makki opened the front door to a familiar tiny whirlwind that threatened to take him down, most likely to get to the baby in his arms. He couldn’t help but laugh at how much energy two-year-old Hoshimi had as she bounced on her toes and tried to wave to the swaddled infant. Tooru reached in and scooped Teruko out of his arms, already cooing to the baby who returned his smile with her new trick of blowing a raspberry. The look of shock on Tooru’s face at the baby’s new skill had Makki and Hajime doubled over laughing. They were suddenly pulled out of their laughter by a small stomped foot and turned to see Hoshimi’s angry pout, arms crossed tightly across her chest.

“Papá. No. My baby.” She whined, small demanding hands reaching up.

“C’mere baby girl,” Hajime sighed, picking Hoshimi up to where she could reach the baby in Tooru’s arms.

“Puff Puff!” Hoshimi exclaimed, taking Teruko’s hands in her own before she wrapped the infant in an awkward hug.

“Still can’t say her name huh?” Makki asked, unable to keep a straight face at the nickname his friends had given his daughter.

“We’re working on it,” Hajime returned as he snuggled his daughter close to give her a kiss on the head.

“How about we let Hoshi play with her babies while we finish dinner?” Makki suggested and pointed to two play mats in the living room. Hoshimi practically bounced out of Hajime’s arms and ran into the other room to plop down between the mats.

“Papá, my baby,” she patted one of the mats emphatically. Tooru laughed but complied and crossed the room to lay Teruko down beside her. The baby squealed at Hoshimi’s face hovering over hers and blew a raspberry that startled the toddler. She pulled back with a giggle and a question. “Where ‘Samu?” Hoshimi asked, looking between the men with a furrowed brow.

“He’s with Uncle Mattsun in the kitchen,” Makki told her to head off her pout.

“ATTSU!” Hoshimi yelled, barely letting Makki finish.

“What is it princess?” Issei returned, leaning against the doorway while he patted Isamu’s back.

“My baby, my ‘Samu,” she insisted, miming grabby hands toward him before patting the mat beside her.

Issei looked toward Makki with a skeptical expression, “you know what’s gonna happen if I put him down.”

“The same thing that happens every evening when you put him down,” Makki agreed with a sigh, “but you need two hands to finish dinner.”

“I dunno,” Issei rolled his eyes before he gently laid Isamu beside Hoshimi, “as clingy as he is, I think I’ve learned to do almost everything one-handed.” The four of them had no sooner passed the doorway to the kitchen before a high whine echoed into the room. “I swear he comes by that clinginess genetically,” Issei mused before he had to duck out of the way of an orange Makki sent flying in his direction.

The closer to finished dinner got, the louder Isamu’s whines until he was flat-out screaming from the living room. Tooru and Hajime’s searching glances toward the doorway betrayed their concern for whatever was happening in the other room.

“It’s normal,” Makki cringed at a particularly loud wail from his son. “He’s started doing this every time we put him down. Usually once he gets going Iss is the only one who can get him to stop.”

A small pattering of feet pulled all of their attention to the doorway of the kitchen where Hoshimi stood, brow furrowed and dampness on her fingers. She extended her hand to the closest adult with confusion written across her face.

“What’s wrong baby girl?” Hajime asked as he crouched down beside her and took the offered hand that appeared to be wet with tears.

“Why,” Hoshimi asked, lower lip quivering, “why my ‘Samu cry?” She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve before she looked up at her dad with tear filled eyes. “Daddy hewp, my baby sad. I-I no fix.”

“Let’s see what we can do sweetheart,” Hajime said, pulling her into a hug to pick her up, she buried her face into his shoulder.

“We’ll send in reinforcements here in a few,” Makki offered, gesturing to his husband.

“So little faith, I’ve got plenty of experience with a fussy child,” Hajime snarked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at his friends. 

Not even ten minutes later it seemed like faith was warranted as the screaming had devolved to small hiccups. Makki couldn’t resist and apparently neither could Issei and Tooru as all three peek around the corner of the doorway. Hajime was sitting on the couch with Hoshimi in his lap and the twins tucked, sleeping into each of his arms. Hoshimi wasn’t paying the onlookers any mind, instead concentrating on tracing constellations on the faces of each of the twins in turn. When she finally did look up, she wiggled off Hajime’s lap to clamor into Tooru's waiting arms. 

“Papá, KiKi, Attsu, Daddy fix my baby,” she said proudly, pointing toward Hajime.

“Yes he did, he’s quite the baby whisperer isn’t he?” Makki mentioned with a thankful smile to his best friend.

She gasped, wiggling from Tooru’s grasp and ran back to Hajime. “Daddy,” she attempted to whisper conspiratorially, “you a baby ipsperer.”

Amid muffled laughter from all of the adults, Makki took a sleeping Teruko from his friend and cuddled her against him before placing her in her swing. She smiled sleepily at her dad before her eyes drooped closed again, hand wrapped around the stuffed jellyfish Hoshimi offered her. He turned to Hajime and pointed to the other swing. 

“Yeah no,” he said, shifting a sleeping Isamu to his non-dominant shoulder and taking a place at the table beside his daughter. “I’m not testing my baby whispering powers.”

Issei handed him a plate with a shrug, “I can tell you from recent experience that you can do almost anything one-handed.”

“To keep them happy,” he agreed, gesturing between Isamu and Hoshimi, “I don’t doubt it.” And at the end of the night, when Issei traded Hajime a sleepy Hoshimi for Isamu, his daughter clung to him tightly while Tooru bundled her up in her coat.

"Daddy’s the best baby isperer eber,” Hoshimi murmured, nestling closer before falling truly asleep, arms clasped tightly around Hajime’s neck.

“You’re officially at the top of the babysitters list,” Makki said as he cuddled Teruko and petted down Isamu’s hair. “Feel free to put him to sleep any time,” both Makki and Issei laughed at the affectionate eye roll they got before closing the door. Isamu startled them both with a high whine before he snuggled against Issei’s chest. “Thank goodness, I was afraid he was ready to trade you for Hajime,” Makki laughed and dodged Isamu’s jellyfish that his husband launched at him. Teruko giggled in his arms, “at least I’m still Cream Puff’s favorite,” he snarked, sticking his tongue out at Issei. The raspberry that caught him full in the face had both parents sinking to the ground in laughter as they held onto each other and the most important things in their lives. Makki couldn’t imagine what he had been so afraid of for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only the epilogue left! Thanks for sticking with us! :)


	11. Not Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wouldn’t be toddlers if they didn’t give Makki a heart attack every once in a while now would they?

1,935 times they had laid the twins down to sleep, and 1,934 times the twins had been right where they were left when Makki came back to check on them. But tonight Teruko wasn’t in her crib where they left her and no sooner did that realization pop into Makki’s mind than he was storming back to the master bedroom, fingers already kneading at his temples.

“No. No, no, no, no, no. This isn’t happening again. This is absolutely NOT happening again,” he groaned, leaning against the door frame.

“What’s the matter? Did one of them throw up all over the place again?” Issei asked, looking up from his book and paling a bit. 

“Teruko is gone, she’s just, she’s not in her crib,” Makki said, his head falling back to thud against the door. Full, rumbling laughter wasn’t what he expected and his head snapped back up. He fixed his husband with a wide-eyed stare. 

“Wait, I just,” Issei wrapped an arm around his stomach as he tried to stop laughing, “are you trying to tell me that you lost another baby girl?” He managed to get out before he doubled over again. Makki’s glare was less effective than intended when his mouth fell open to protest. “How do you do it? Inquiring minds would like to know,” he continued as he extended the TV remote in Makki’s direction like a microphone. Makki was quick to smack it away, his mouth slamming shut and teeth grinding as he started restlessly pacing around the room.

“This isn’t funny Iss, I can’t believe you would make a joke out of Teruko being gone.”

“‘Hiro,” his husband demanded, catching him by the shoulders, “she’s 14 months old, she’s not gone, she has to be in the house somew-.”

“Unless someone took her,” Makki interrupted, shrugging his husband’s hands off as he reached for his phone, “we should call the cops.”

“Yes, because someone just walked by us watching TV earlier or walked by our bedroom door in the last 10 minutes and we didn’t notice,” Issei attempted to reason.

“You never know!” Makki protested, bordering on hysterics. 

“Takahiro.” Issei snatched Makki’s phone from his hand. “Listen to me, did you even look for her or did you just panic?”

“How exactly am I supposed to not panic when our daughter isn’t where we left her?”

“Babe, she’s a toddler, she hasn’t gone far. Just like Hoshi didn’t go anywhere.”

“You don’t know tha-”

“Sit down ‘Hiro,” Issei pointed at the bed, turned on his heel, and left the room. Makki managed to sit and count in his head to try to distract himself from the increasingly dire scenarios running through his head. He barely broke 100 before his husband was back, rolling his eyes at his obviously unabated panic. “C’mon babe,” he grabbed Makki’s hand and drug him down the hall into the twins’ room. He gestured to Isamu’s crib with a sigh and Makki peeked over the edge of the crib to see both toddlers curled together, holding onto their stuffed jellyfish and each other. “I told you she was fine,” Issei pointed out and bumped shoulders with his husband before he turned and wiped away tears Makki hadn’t even realized were running down his face. “Hey now, what’s wrong?”

“I was worried, damn it,” Makki managed before scooping both toddlers up in a tight hug. Isamu startled awake with a whine while Teruko slowly peeled her eyes open with a yawn. Both huddled closer to Makki and gripped his shirt in their little hands. 

“Oh no Da-Da,” Isamu gasped with wide eyes when he saw Makki’s tears. He mimicked his own self soothing gesture and smashed his jellyfish against the tears that tracked down his dad’s face.

“Thank you ‘Samu,” Makki chuckled with a smile mirroring his son’s.

“Da-Da otay?” Teruko asked around a yawn.

“I’m okay Cream Puff, I love you.”

“Mmmm wuv oo Da-Da,” she smiled and laid her head against his shoulder.

When he moved to lay them back in Isamu’s crib he was met with twin whines and small hands tightening on his shirt front. 

“How did you not see that coming when you woke them up?” Issei asked, already halfway down the hall back to their room like the twins joining them was a foregone conclusion.

“Who says a sleepover in our bed wasn’t my plan all along?” Makki returned, following as he stuck his tongue out, both twins quick to copy the gesture. 

He carried the littles back to the master with them, waiting until Issei was settled on the bed before he turned to him, a huge smile plastered on his face as he flopped down, two giggling toddlers in tow.

“Hey babe, trust fall.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whether you popped in or have been here since the beginning, thanks for sticking with us for this story!

**Author's Note:**

> Questions, comment, concerns, directions to the nearest exit? Let me know.
> 
> I hope you end up loving this AU as much as we do!


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